In a typical printer, media trays store media sheets within the printer. During the printing cycle, a media transport system retrieves media sheets from an input tray, routes the media sheets along a media path to receive and fix an image on the media sheets, and transports the media sheets to an output tray or bin for collection by a user. Many users prefer a printer that applies an image to a media sheet quickly. Therefore, the media transport system may be configured to transport the media sheets along the media path at a relatively high speed.
The media transport system relies upon the rigidity of a media sheet when transporting a media sheet along the media path and through peripheral devices that may be coupled to the printer. In particular, a media sheet may be characterized as having a particular natural or inherent beam strength, which refers to the longitudinal rigidity of the media sheet. Beam strength is a desirable characteristic that allows a media sheet to travel along the media path quickly without becoming bent, curled, or otherwise damaged by the transport system.
Instead of requiring printers to use media sheets having a minimum natural or inherent beam strength, some printers utilize media sheet deforming devices, sometimes referred to as corrugation rollers or corrugators, to increase the beam strength of a media sheet temporarily. Media sheet deforming devices increase the beam strength of a media sheet by nonpermanently bending or deforming the sheet. In particular, media sheet deforming devices often deform a central portion of a media sheet so that the media sheet exhibits an arched longitudinal profile. The arched profile increases the beam strength of the media sheet to enable the media sheet to travel quickly along a media path and to extend farther from an output slot before bending or curling.
While known media sheet deforming devices work well, the amount of media sheet deformation may not be easily adjusted to accommodate a particular peripheral device attached to the printer. For instance, peripheral devices such as staplers, stackers, and hole punches, may each operate with greater efficiency when functioning with a media sheet exhibiting a specific amount of deformation. Furthermore, known media sheet deforming devices do not permit a user to eliminate the amount of media sheet deformation when utilizing a particular type of media sheet or a particular peripheral device that does not require or benefit from increased media sheet beam strength. Thus, while known media sheet deforming devices deliver satisfactory results in most applications, known media sheet deforming devices may deliver optimally deformed media sheets for only a particular type of media sheet or peripheral device.